Stocking Stuffers: Holiday Grooming Gift Guide 2012

Let’s face it, most of us are suckers for skin care products: the packaging, the presentation, the promises, the promotions. A little swag with a purchase and a nice shopping bag: sometimes it’s the little things that make us the happiest.

Think about how nice it feels to walk out of a store with some new product in hand. You’re feeling younger already; there’s a spring in your step. You just know that emollient is going to work wonders on your visage; you’re feeling good and looking good - and you haven’t even smoothed that serum all over your mug.

Now think about sharing the happiness. If a good grooming product can make you so happy, then think about spreading the happiness and sharing those elixirs with the nice (and the naughty) on your holiday gift list.

Matriskin Technology: Collagen MP Serum

It’s the most wonderful time of the year - yeah, yeah - and fixing a smile on your face all through the long holiday season can leave you with a rictus of repulsion rather than your customary sweet, gay holiday mien.

Created by renowned dermatologist, Dr. Pierre Huet, the mastermind behind brands such as Dr. Sebagh and Meaningful Beauty, Matriskin was developed as an alternative to cosmetic and plastic surgery. After launching in Europe in 2008, Matriskin developed a cult following among celebrities including Eva Longoria, who contends that Matriskin has "dramatically reduced the wrinkles in my face."

Apart from minimizing signs of aging, Collagen MP Serum has been proven effective in treating acne (in as little as three days) while also dramatically improving the skin’s luminosity. This revolutionary anti-aging serum is formulated with matrixyl, which stimulates the production of collagen - and the addition of 47 different peptides helps to increase skin firmness and elasticity.

Sia Botanics: Desert Aloe and Jojoba Collection

Dry skin is the bane of our winter existence. What else to do but look to the desert and see how indigenous flora cope with extreme dryness in a harsh climate? That’s what the founder of Sia Botanics decided in coming up with her line of Desert Aloe & Jojoba products.

Founded in 2011 in Arizona by Christina Mahar, Sia Botanics focused on the Sonoran Desert to formulate its proprietary formulas that help to accelerate skin repair and restore moisture. The potency of pure aloe vera juice is combined with the "youth" mineral potassium, while the addition of jojoba liquid wax esther increases suppleness and inhibits signs of aging.

Think about it: cacti in the desert living to be a hundred years or so - and still producing cactus flowers so gorgeous and radiant. Must be something in the desert water - and your face wants it, too.

The four-product gift set includes Desert Aloe & Jojoba Cream Cleanser, Scrub, Moisture Mask, and Cream, all of which are infused with aloe, jojoba beads, and desert botanicals.

All Sia Botanics products are vegan and free of gluten, parabens, and other irritants and are available at Whole Foods or www.SiaBotanics.com.

Liz Earle: Smoothing Line Serum

All through the holiday season, you keep running into people who knew you when and haven’t seen you in forever. And, let’s face it, you want your best face forward. You want all of them to lie a little and say, "Oh, you look fabulous." And if you really do, it might be because you’re using a little Liz Earle.

Founded in 1995 by two long-time friends with beauty industry backgrounds, Liz Earle’s award-winning skincare products are formulated with the finest quality naturally active ingredients. Smoothing Line Serum, for example, is a light, oil-free serum that helps to plump and firm the skin around the eyes and forehead.

Take a look at the natural ingredients in Smoothing Line Serum: grapeseed extract, a major antioxidant that helps protect skin from free radicals, and natural-source vitamin E, which is three times more potent than the synthetic variety, and pro-vitamin B5, which moisturizes the skin and stimulates cellular renewal.

Liz Earle products are never formulated with animal ingredients or genetically engineered ingredients - which makes Liz Earle products a perfect gift for those vegetarians on your gift-giving list.

Own: Firming Silk Concentrate

You’re running around, through hail, rain, and wind, all holiday season, and your skin is look peaked, pallid, anemic, and ashen. You need a week in the sun. But first, you need to take care of that complexion - before you head home to the family.

One of the best products you can pack into your travel bag for the holidays is Own Firming Silk Concentrate. One of Own’s most popular products, this rapidly absorbing facial treatment utilizes a water-free formula to promote collagen production and leave skin silky smooth to the touch.

Own Products is a natural skincare collection that utilizes CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), a derivative of the safflower plant, to help fight aging in all three layers of the skin. CLA boosts cell metabolism and aids in moisture retention, while helping to activate cell renewal and promote collagen production.

Best of all, CLA has been shown to be as effective as retinol - without the adverse side effects. Formulated with vitamin E and coconut oil, the oil-based formula promotes skin elasticity, while leaving a velvety finish.

The entire Own line retails for under $25, which makes it perfect for "Secret Santa" and stocking stuffer gifts.

You saw the footage: Black Friday was a riot of shoppers run amok. Let’s face it, holiday shopping can take a toll on one’s equilibrium. We’ve rounded up some of our favorite elixirs and festive comestibles that are guaranteed to make you smile again.

According to studies, millions of gift cards remain unused, thereby filling the coffers of high-end retailers. While gift cards might be easier, there are few gestures so rewarding as a gift that hits its mark.